Siemens Takes Industrial Production to the Next Level

Through SPS Connect, the online platform for the SPS International Trade Fair for Electrical Automation Systems and Components in Nuremberg, Germany, Siemens will host the “SPS Forum: The Digital Enterprise” event online to comprehensively showcase new products, services, and solutions from its digital enterprise portfolio, empowering companies in the discrete manufacturing and process industries to address rapidly changing market demands and environmental conditions. Siemens is committed to integrating cutting-edge technologies—such as artificial intelligence, edge and cloud computing, and additive manufacturing—into its automation and digital solutions to enhance the intelligence and flexibility of production, thereby driving industrial manufacturing forward.

New products on display include the ready-to-use open platform Industrial Edge, new edge devices, and edge applications for drives. In addition, Siemens will introduce a new generation of distributed drive systems. This year’s innovations also include a multi-vendor robot programming solution based on Siemens TIA Portal, the Cloud Connect innovation for integrated data access, and new connectivity and remote collaboration services.

The adoption of cloud and edge technologies enables the digitization of manufacturing processes, making operations more flexible and efficient. The Siemens Industrial Edge open platform can be used to create Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions at the machine level. This platform helps customers bring more applications into the shop floor in less time, further increasing machine and plant productivity while reducing implementation and operating costs. Siemens is set to launch the Industrial Edge Management System, a centralized infrastructure that can be scaled across the entire company to manage connected edge devices and applications. Combined with existing hardware and software products, the Industrial Edge V1.0 open platform provides users with a seamless, out-of-the-box solution. Siemens has also expanded the hardware portfolio of its Industrial Edge portfolio. The Simatic IPC227E industrial PC features the latest processor technology and supports both Nanobox and panel PCs. Thanks to its outstanding performance and numerous interfaces, the Simatic IPC227E industrial PC is an ideal platform for Industrial Edge and artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

In the field of drive technology, Siemens has expanded the MindSphere application “Analyze MyDrives” by adding an edge version. This will be the first edge application on the market specifically designed for drive technology, perfectly exemplifying the intelligent interconnection of edge and cloud computing. In the area of predictive services for drive systems, Siemens has intelligently upgraded its MindSphere-based service applications. In the latest version, the Predictive Service Assistance application has integrated AI algorithms to support customers seeking to enhance the availability of monitored assets and improve maintenance efficiency. The Sinamics G115D is Siemens’ new generation of distributed drive systems, developed specifically for horizontal conveyor systems. As a complete drive system, it consists of three components: a motor, a frequency converter, and a gearbox.

Continuous changes in product models and external markets require more flexible machines, while applications in handling and assembly systems also demand a higher degree of automation. The integration of robotics into production machinery supports this need. With the Simatic Robot Library—designed for the Simatic Robot Integrator—Siemens has introduced a new, universal robot library for TIA Portal. In the future, users will be able to program most robots in TIA Portal using the Simatic Robot Library, regardless of the manufacturer, and adopt standard operating concepts based on the Simatic Robot Integrator and Simatic HMI. Thanks to the standard environment of TIA Portal, users can save up to 30 percent of the time required to design new complete systems, thereby shortening time-to-market.

Siemens showcased its innovative Cloud Connect products, which serve as the foundation for current and future Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications and provide continuous data access via all interfaces and standards. The web-based process control system Simatic PCS neo, in terms of security,